Life and Love after the War
by LttlMnstr7297
Summary: JK Rowling left a huge gap between chapters 36 and 37 of Deathly Hallows, of which I had a desire to fill! The lives of Harry, Ginny, Ron and Hermione after the war mostly. Others may be incorperated. This is my first story so please R&R!
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I do not own any other these characters! They belong to the wonderful mind who created them and I just wanted to continue their story.**

All thoughts of war and Voldemort rushed out of Harry's mind in huge relief. Then, one and only one thought could be found, Ginny.

"Ron, where was your sister last you saw her?" asked Harry dreamily.

"Great Hall, I think," replied Ron, "Why?"

"Well it's quite obvious why, Ron," Hermione said sweetly with a tad of annoyance, "The war is over, Riddle is dead, what else in the world could there be for Harry to care about besides Ginny?"

"You're not off to snog her, are you?" Ron inquired, his elder brother protective instincts beginning to show.

"So what if I am?" Harry laughed, "Of course you great prat!" he joked, "Great Hall, right. See you later then."

Harry was trying to hold in his excitement to see Ginny and keep himself from running out the door of the Headmaster's office. _I can't believe it_, he thought, _we're alive. We can be together, we can..._ "Harry, wait!"

"What now, Ron?" Harry asked in exasperation.

"I just wanted to say, if I had to give my little sister to anyone, it would be you." Ron blushed slightly as he smiled.

"Thanks mate."

"You're welcome." The two of them shared a very brotherly hug. "Now off with you," Ron waved his hand at Harry, "before she finds another Chosen One to snog with!" He walked over to Hermione and put his arm around her shoulders. They smiled and laughed as they watched their friend run through the door, down the marble staircase and out of earshot.

Harry had no intention of stopping. He could have cared less about the portraits thanking him or the students cheering as he passed them. He ran as if he was flying, effortlessly, letting his instincts take control of his movements. The passing corridors were blurred until he came upon the Entrance Hall. There he stopped. He could see everything in clear detail, the crumbling walls the house point counter gems scattered about the floor, the red-headed girl coming through the doors of the Great Hall.

"Harry?" Ginny seemed to ask the entire hall. She searched for him from the doorway until their eyes met. Her battle scars enhanced the beauty of her face, her hair tangled and awry. He could not think of anyone more beautiful than she.

"Ginny," he ran toward her, and she to him. There was no stopping to talk, she ran right into his arms. Her sobs were muffled against his chest. He kissed her forehead.

"Ginevera Molly Weasley?"

"Yes, Harry James Potter?" he was relieved that she had caught on. He loosened his grip on her, she pulled away slightly to look him in the eyes. He stroked the side of her tear-stained face with his hand.

"I love you," she put her hand on his.

"I love you."

Their lips met. Harry pulled her closer in his arms, moving his hands to her back and her hair while she wrapped hers around his neck. The kiss deepened and deepened. Neither cared that their kiss could be view by anyone who bothered to enter the Entrance Hall or that later they might be chastised by Mrs. Weasley. All that mattered was that they were together. Together at last.

_Meanwhile, in Dumbledore's office…_

Ron and Hermione, still giggling from Harry's exit, placed themselves in the seats in front of the headmaster's desk.

"I can't believe it. It's over," Ron said in amazement.

"I know," Hermione replied, "The past couple of years, there had been nothing but Voldemort in sight. It was hard t imagine life past this. But here we are." She smiled at Ron. "It's like a whole new beginning. And so far, I like where it is going."

"What do you mean by so far?" inquired Ron.

She grabbed his hand. "I mean us."

They both smiled and sat looking in each other's eyes for a time. Ron then stood up, helping Hermione to her feet and pulled her in to his embrace. Happily, they stood in silence in the comfort of each other's arms. He pulled away, leaving her a little hurt, but then he spoke.

"I had meant to say thins earlier, so I will say it now," he lifted her chin from her chest to look him in the eyes, "Hermione, I love you."

"I love you too," she responded, her eyes brimming with happy tears. She blinked and one slid slowly down her cheek. Ron lightly brushed his thumb across her cheek and the tear was gone. Their eyes locked and their lips just inches apart before they realized they were in full view of Dumbledore's portrait.

Sheepishly, Ron said, "Sorry Professor. We will just, um…"

"Don't let me be the one to ruin a perfectly good kiss," he smiled and laughed, his piercing blue eyes sparkling, "Please, continue. I have other business to attend to about the castle."

"Thank you, Professor," Ron smiled back at his old headmaster.

"No, thank you, Ron," Dumbledore beamed, "You are very luck, Hermione. Make sure he behaves himself."

She laughed, "I promise I will, Professor," and Dumbledore was gone.

"Now, where were we?" Ron asked sarcastically. She stuck her tongue out at him, which seemed to spark his memory. "Ah, now I remember," he pulled he close once more and stroked her cheek. "I love you."

"I love you."

_This_, thought Hermione, _is so much better than the first time_.

And they snogged to their heart's content.


	2. Chapter 2

**I do not own anything! Besides my thoughts of course. The first chapter was where I really started writing fanfiction, and never really got edited. I hope you like it anyway if you are here to read chapter 2. Enjoy!**

The last kiss was a soft, lingering one. Hermione opened her eyes and slumped into Ron's arms again.

He held her, his head on hers. "Tired, 'Mione?" he asked with a soft chuckle.

She liked this 'Mione pet name. "Yes," she replied, "I could sleep forever."

"Don't do that," He said somewhat pouting, "then I wouldn't be able to see you smile."

"Oh, Won-Won, how sweet." She scrunched her nose. "Scratch that, you need a new nickname. Won-Won is a little revolting." She said, thinking about their previous year at Hogwarts.

"Agreed," he made a mock retching noise, which made her laugh. "Come on, love," he said taking her hand, "Let's go." They fell in step with each other as they left the office.

They met Harry and Ginny on the staircase in front of the portrait of the Fat Lady. "Anyone know the password?" Harry asked with a touch of sarcasm in his voice. The other three shrugged.

"Password will do, Potter," the Fat Lady said with a small smile as she swung forward to allow them to enter the common room.

"Is anyone else surprised by that?" questioned Harry as they stepped through the portrait hole. He had missed the common room while they were gone. It was so comfortable and cozy.

"No, especially since your saved the entire Wizarding World," answered Ginny sarcastically.

"For the record, we all did," Said Ron, not catching his sister's sarcasm.

"Oh, what does it matter? It's over!" said Hermione. She loved Ron, but she could not help becoming a little frustrated with him.

"That's my 'Mione," he said, winking at her. She blushed.

Harry and Ginny had sat themselves on the couch in front of the empty fire place, his arm around her shoulders, while Ron sat in one of the squashy arm chairs to their left, Hermione on the chair's arm. "Wow, your 'Mione, Ron. When did that happen?" Asked Ginny jokingly.

"A little bit ago in Dumbledore's office," Ron answered.

"Um, what?" asked a confused Harry.

"After you left," Hermione had begun to tell the story, "We talked about how amazing it was that the war was over and how we just had lives to live. We could do anything we wanted. Then we just held each other and were about to kiss before we realized we were in full view of Dumbledore's portrait!"

"Dumbledore! How embarrassing!" Ginny laughed.

"What did you do?" inquired Harry, now very interested in the story.

"Ron was about to apologize but Dumbledore said he had other places to be and not to ruin the moment on his account. He left and we…"

"Snogged?" offered a still giggling Ginny. Ron's ears turned red.

"Yes," Hermione blushed again," he called me 'Mione and I guess…"

"It stuck." Ron finished. She looked at him as he spoke and he kissed her lightly on the lips. "Love you."

"Love you too."

"Aww, how cute. Now if you two are going to be all mushy, get a room." Harry enjoyed teasing his friends, to which there were several pillows thrown at him.

"Well, what happened to you, mate?" Ron asked, "We told, your turn." He winked at his best friend.

"Well," Harry said, imitating Ron, "I ran the whole way for Dumbledore's office to the Entrance Hall, when a certain red-head came peeking out the door looking for me." He smiled at Ginny, who proceeded to stick her tongue out at him. "She found me, obviously, and for a while we just held each other. It felt so good just to be alive. Then we kissed." He finished, quite content with his story.

"Kiss turned snog," smiled Ginny, "It was amazing, until Mum saw us…"

"You got caught?" Ron snickered, "That's rich."

"Neither of us cared," Harry said smacking Ron.

"It wasn't so much 'caught'" Ginny explained, "She teared up and stood there watching us for a bit before going back into the Great Hall, it was kind of awkward."

"Besides," said Harry, "If it was anyone else but me, your mum would have been livid. There would have been a beat down. I mean, if Dean had been snogging her like that…" he trailed off.

"I don't want to know!" Ron covered his ears as if to block out what Harry was saying.

"Good job, Harry," Ginny smiled at her brother's discomfort, "You are learning very fast." She kissed him softly.

"Look who is talking about being mushy," Ron audibly mumbled. Hermione had eased herself in t Ron's lap before exhaustion had set in. Harry had progressively stretched out on the couch, Ginny's head on his chest. "Blimey," Ron yawned, "I am tired."

"I think we all are," said a drowsy Hermione. Ginny had begun to get up.

"Where are you going?" Asked Harry, confused.

"Bed," she answered.

"Why leave? Please, just stay," he pleaded. She smiled sleepily. He kissed her gently and she settled back down. They both looked at Ron and Hermione. Her head had fallen into the crook of his neck, his head on top of hers, asleep. They looked back at one another. "I love you." He said.

"I love you too."

She laid her head again on Harry's chest. _I get to fall asleep like this for the rest of my life_, he thought. He closed his eyes and slept with a smile on his face.


End file.
